Sharing my first blog with the world!

Hello everyone :] This is my first official blog ever. Woo hoo! My name is Amber, and for one of my classes at Lawrence University I was told to create a blog that introduces myself, reflects my interests, and reveals the motivations for my art. So... here I am! Hopefully all goes well, and I am able to get the hang of it.

I should probably first start out by saying that, although I am a Studio Art major, I do not consider myself to be very artsy. You see, in addition to my Studio Art major I am also pursuing a K - 12 teaching certification. I am going to be honest and say that the teaching certification means a lot more to me, simply because I can see myself being a teacher significantly more than becoming an artist. However, I have always been drawn to art. I have been drawn to the artist's talent to produce beautiful pieces, the messages the works are capable of portraying, and the creativity it allows individuals to express. This last reason is the main reason why I love art so much, and it is why I decided to teach art rather than other subjects. I am excited to catch a glimpse into the minds of my future students, and that is the reason for my Studio Art major. If I am going to teach, why not teach something that I am passionate about, right?!

Ok, well now I will just inform you all on a couple things you might like to know about me...
1) I am originally from Appleton (yes I love it, even though most of you probably think it is unbearably small and boring)
2) I am a lady who needs at least 8 hours of sleep every night
 and 3) Just a unique fact about myself (because those are absolutely necessary when getting to know someone) Every time I put a piece of mint  gum into my mouth I automatically sneeze. Not fruity kind, just mint; It's the weirdest thing.

Alrighty, now just a few of the things in the world that interest me...
1) I am a proud lover of country music. Let the haters hate.
2) I love sports (LU athletics, NCAA, and the NFL) GO PACK GO!!!
3) Working with and helping children makes me happy
4) I love shopping, movies, and taking pictures
and 5) My family and friends complete my life


Ok, well now that you know a little bit about me I would like to inform you on where I get my artistic motivation. As I mentioned earlier, I am more so pursuing the Studio Art major to teach, rather than to become an artist. That being said, I have not really had that much experience creating a lot of works. However, when I begin to make my own pieces the following aspects will most likely serve as inspirations for me. Here they are...

Children:

Innocence

St. James's Park, London

The environment:

 The Chain of Lakes, Waupaca, Wisconsin

 The Fox River, Appleton, Wisconsin

 Hyde Park, London 

 Footpath, London

 Brompton Cemetery, London

 The Highlands of Scotland

 Fairy Glen, Scotland

 Pembrokenshire, Whales

 The Cliffs of Moher, Ireland

Ireland

Works I had the opportunity to see while studying in London:

 Frieze Art Fair, London

 Frieze Art Fair, London

 Frieze Art Fair, London

Frieze Art Fair, London

 Gallery in London

Gallery in London

My travels:

 Chicago, Illinois

 Tower Bridge, London

 Santorini, Greece

 Venice, Italy

Chianti, Italy

Flowers:

 Hyde Park, London

 Regent's Park, London

Pembrokenshire, Whales

As I mentioned earlier, I am at the beginning of my art journey. I do not have any sort of portfolio, but I am hoping this class and others like it will aid in making that possible.

Thanks for reading! Bye for now,
Amber :]